City of Secrets Trail

The Brief

Edinburgh Council commissioned a permanent visitor attraction that would drive footfall to lesser-known historic sites while being commercially self-sustaining through ticket sales and sponsorship.

The Challenge

The trail needed to work year-round in Scottish weather, accommodate tourists with varying fitness levels, and remain engaging across repeat visits. Clue stations had to be vandal-resistant and low-maintenance while still feeling magical. The council also required full accessibility compliance across all 12 stops.

The Solution

We developed a hybrid physical-digital system: weatherproof bronze clue markers at each location paired with a custom progressive web app that delivers AR overlays, audio narration, and adaptive hint systems. The app detects which stops a player has completed and generates unique puzzle variations on return visits. An accessible route option replaces stair-heavy stops with alternative locations.

Results